Tess Mason, Office Manager at Wesley Homes Lea Hill, looks for opportunities each day to help the people around her.
“I have MAD skills,” said Tess. “I try to Make A Difference (Get it? MAD.) in at least one person’s life every day. I have a dry erase board in my living room that says, ‘what did you do for someone else today?’ That board serves as a reminder to live my mission.”
Tess is involved in numerous activities that benefit her community, but there is one small act that makes a huge difference. Tess lovingly wraps essential toiletry items for people in need. She keeps a box of these gifts in her car within reach in case she runs into anyone who could use a little extra help.
The toiletry gift bag idea stemmed from her experience of caring for her brother, who struggled with addiction and homelessness. This is a tragic issue that is devastating for family members, but Tess decided to make something positive out of that experience.
Gifts of cash or items that could be easily sold don’t make ideal gifts for people afflicted with an addiction. Tess became crafty and put together care packages she knew couldn’t be turned into a vehicle for addiction. This gave her the idea to always look through the eyes of the people she’s helping to find what would be the most beneficial and useful items.
“When I first started handing out items, I started with toilet paper,” said Tess. “It seems like a strange gift, but not many people know that food stamps don’t always cover essential toiletry items like toilet paper, tooth paste, tooth brushes and deodorant.”
Homelessness is a growing problem in the Puget Sound region, and many people don’t know how to respond to the plea for money. Care packages like the ones Tess makes are a good way to give pack to the community. There are other ways to give back by helping out with local charities like Northwest Harvest and the Salvation Army. Wesley Homes is also committed to touching the lives of the individuals in the greater community and helping those in need with the Living the Mission Team. This mission is alive and well in the staff and Wesley Homes. We are happy to have such a caring individual on our team. Thank you, Tess, for all you do on campus and in our greater community!
Tess Mason is everything the comments above list and so much more. She is always a very positive
inspiration here on campus at Lea Hill—-always stops to talk with those she meets everyday with
much obvious joy & concern. Tess is a real blessing in so many ways. Thank you Tess for all you do.
Signed—–Herman Wright